MIDDLETON — This past week the New Hampshire State Board of Education approved Middleton School Board’s withdrawal plan from the Farmington/Middleton AREA (Authorized Regional Enrollment Area) agreement allowing students to withdraw from Farmington Schools over the next two years.

The Middleton School Board proposes for students in grades seven to twelve to attend Governor Wentworth Regional School District (GWRSD) and for the construction of Middleton Elementary School for grades Pre-Kindergarten to sixth grade.

At 9 a.m. Saturday Middleton School Board held a Public Hearing at the Middleton Town Hall to discuss the bond proposal for the Middleton Elementary School for use in the fall of 2016 estimated at $6.5 million on a 60-acre parcel of land bought by Middleton School District in 1982 on King’s Highway.

Now in the hands of residents, they will go to vote on this March 11.

The vote addresses three main issues: withdrawal from the Farmington School District, bond proposal for Middleton Elementary School, and tuition agreement with GWRSD. A sixty percent approval rating is needed. All areas need to be passed to move forward with any of them.

The withdrawal plan resulted after the Farmington/Middleton AREA Agreement was up for review in 2012 for the first time since 1973 after Farmington’s bond was paid and the agreement allowed for such a review. Middleton proposed to revise the agreement to only send their Pre-Kindergarten through sixth grade students to Farmington, with the decision to transfer students in grades seventh to twelfth to GWRSD. Farmington School District refused Middleton’s proposal, stating that Middleton withdrawal would cause significant educational consequences due to reduction in student population and funding. This caused Middleton to reconsider and propose the solution of building Middleton Elementary School.

Present at the Public Hearing were SAU 61 Superintendent Steve Welford, who serves both communities, Middleton School Board Chair Andrea Bowden, Vice Chair Kenneth Garry, and School Board Members Linda Adamo, John Mammone, and Todd LaPierre. Jack Savage moderated the discussion.

For two and a half hours, about 40 Middleton residents addressed their thoughts, concerns and questions regarding the bond, which focused primarily on the financial impact and educational benefits. Any questions that the School Board did not have available were documented to provide before the voting date.

“Whether they vote for or against the bond, we want to make sure they have all the information they need for making that decision,” said Adamo, who mentioned that many residents have called her with their questions and she welcomes others to do so as well.

The most pressing issue residents addressed was their concern for the potential tax increase, urging to receive a firm estimate to better inform their decision.

The bond the School Board is currently looking at has a tax increase estimated at $3.80 per thousand that will go down each year as interest decreases, according to LaPierre.

Although this is the current bond the School Board is considering, they reiterated that it is not a definite number nor is it the bond they ultimately will go with. The School Board continues to look for the best rate and time table to limit tax increases as much as possible and that best serves all members of the community. School Board Member Mammone, along with Budget Committee member Michael Schwarz will attend a US Department of Education Community Loan Workshop January 23 to better educate themselves and the community with all feasible options and make an informed decision.

“We are looking at many different monetary factors,” said Garry. “We will put it all on the table and look at the bottom line. Instrumental in our decision is the fact that Farmington tuition costs go up an average $1 million a year, five to six percent average increase annually in the past decade. It will match cost in bond if we keep going this route.”

Residents also took into account additional fees that haven’t been budgeted into the bond, such as long term operating costs and salaries, currently estimated at $2.9 million per year according to Garry, school extensions if needed due to population increase, and how it affects the wider community including the Highway Patrol, Fire and Police Department. These issues the School Board will continue to look into and respond promptly to the public with.

According to Garry, the School Board has concerns over Farmington tuition changes over the years and that their fundraising efforts are $8,000 per Middleton student compared to $4,000 per Farmington student, a discrepancy that hasn’t been answered by Farmington.

“Farmington tuition is unpredictable and difficult to budget,” Garry said. “Over the years, it has fluctuated from being raised 30 to 50 percent and decreased 20 percent.”

Garry reasoned that when a new Middleton elementary student arrives, rather than paying an additional tuition rate, the cost would only be supplies — pencils, desk, books.

“Right now we are renters,” said Garry. “We will be buyers.”

For the 2014-2015 school year, Farmington tuition is $12,064 per Kindergarten to eighth grade student and $11,084 per ninth to twelfth grade student. GWRSD tuition will be $10,948 per seventh to twelfth grade student. Cost per student at the new Middleton Elementary School is still to be determined and the School Board plans to have an estimate by voting date.

The School Board highlighted the long-term benefits that their own community school would provide a more stable control over the budget and decision making in curriculum and educational programs, which currently at Farmington they do not have, according to Bowden.

Middleton resident Jeannette Dixon-Haney added how the building may impact the community. “With the new school building comes advantages. There is a multipurpose room for community meetings and functions.”

The School Board presented the floor plan of the proposed new school. A 27,500 square foot building, it includes a shared community and school area with a 54’ by 54’ multipurpose room with a raised stage, media center, library, and kitchen. The school area includes eight classrooms, special education resource rooms, occupational and physical therapy rooms, title one rooms, nurse’s office, guidance office, teacher’s room, conference room, and principal’s office. The plans include footprint extensions for additional classrooms and gym.

Also, addressed at the meeting were the educational benefits of GWRSD, which is contingent on bond approval. Adamo mentioned the numerous educational opportunities, in particular the vocational and technical programs from EMT, nursing, to culinary arts, and that they are a district that performs above state average. Currently, Middleton students are bused from Farmington to GWRSD for vocational and technical studies.

“If we engage with Governor Wentworth, tuition there will be more predictable,” said Adamo. “Students will not waste time being bused back and forth.”

To assist with providing residents with a more informed decision, the School Board of GWRSD invites Middleton residents to attend the budget deliberative session and overview of the “State of the Schools” on Saturday, February 1 at Kingswood Arts Center in Wolfeboro at 10 a.m. Additionally, the principals of the Middle and High Schools will host a tour of the facilities in Wolfeboro for all Middleton residents on Saturday, February 15.

If vote approved only Farmington High School Seniors may have the option to remain in Farmington or transfer to GWRSD.

Overall, residents’ main concern resided with the impact the tax increase will have on their lives. While they want the best education for their children, they don’t want to do it at the cost of losing their homes.

Residents expressed that however great the educational opportunities are, being tax payers living on a budget, it is a difficult situation to be in and cost is important. They worry that they won’t be able to pay for their house, either losing it or forced to move. It becomes a tough choice between the cost of living and education, and how to weigh the options and make a decision.

The School Board recognizes that taxes are a large concern for their fellow residents. Garry said that they are looking at various variables to decrease debt, including USDE loans that allow for prepayment, which will be benefit them if they receive corporate funding and awarded grants.

“We want to be smart about it up front,” said Garry. “

While outside funding would be great, Garry indicated that they don’t want to rely on it and want to look at this before added benefits, to look at what is known and consider how the town will pay for it.

“Right now, we can’t live on a budget when tuition rates fluctuate,” said Garry. “If we have our own school, we will be more able to set the budget. If we don’t, we will continue to fluctuate and not know the future. It is hard to predict what Farmington will do.”

The School Board is looking at various ways to best educate residents about this monumental decision. They optioned to create a bullet point pamphlet to send every resident and handout out material for students to bring home to their families. They want to help insure everyone is aware and well informed before they vote.

“The information needs to be fully aggravated, more than just the fees,” said Garry. “We will gather all the information needed and get it to the residents.”

If the vote for the bond fails, Middleton School Board will go back to Farmington School District and renegotiate an AREA agreement.